This is a special year for me to create a
chronology for. This was the year that my team
and I (Indiana Unit No. 1) were authorized by
NICAP as an official Subcommittee, on November
17, 1960. Three days prior to this there was a
UFO incident at a NIKE missile base just near
Indiana/Ohio border. This incident was not
listed, explained or unexplained, in the BB
listings for Nov. 1960.

This is the 1960 chronology, but has links to a
50-page summary, and the FULL 219-page,
Brookings Institute Report. A lot of the
incidents themselves do not have active links as
yet. Blue Book microfilms are only processed to
mid-1952, so it will be some time before we can
accomplish that goal. However, this is a
comprehensive list for 1960 and will also
suffice as a good work and checklist for our
team. With the help of Rebecca Wise (Project
Blue Book Archive), and Dan Wilson (archive
researcher), the task becomes much easier. But
without Brad Sparks' updated list, the
Comprehensive Catalog of Project Blue Book
Unknowns, the entire project would have been
impossible. And our thanks also go to Jean
Waskiewicz who created the online NICAP DBase
(NSID) that helped make it possible to link from
the cases to the reports themselves. "UFOE" is
the NICAP publication, The UFO Evidence (Richard
Hall, 1964). Cat. 3 incidents are E-M cases.

Jan. 18, 1960; Gulf of
Mexico (2745 N - 9545W)
4:55 p.m. CST, a B-52 aircraft picked up
an object on an ASB-4 radar and repeater
scope with an estimated speed of 10,000 to
14,000 knots on a collision course at
38,000 feet. The object was bearing 20 degrees
on an inbound track and 240 degrees after
passing the aircraft. After passing the
aircraft the object was picked up on the tail
gunner's MD-9 radarscope. (This is
curious: A Major Richard R. Shoop observed a
UFO at Muroc Army Air Field, Muroc, Calif
on July 8, 1947. (Dan Wilson)

Feb. 21, 1960; Grand Blanc,
Michigan
1:00 a.m. Mr Joe Perry took a photograph of
the moon with his homemade telescope. Later,
after he had taken the photograph, he found
that there was an object silhouetted against
the moon.(Lara Elliott, NICAP & FBI files)

Feb.
22, 1960; Cambridgeshire, England
Railmen at March locomotive depot, Hundred
Road, thought their eyes were deceiving them
in the early hours of Monday morning, when
they saw what they believe to be a UFO.
Through the window of the mess room they saw a
bright circular object in the night sky.
According to one of the witnesses, Mr Albert
Haynes, of 38 Asplin Avenue, March, it was
difficult to judge how far away it was, the
speed it was travelling, or how big it was.
“There was well over a dozen of us all looking
through the window at what we first thought
was a ‘plane. I saw a bright orange
circular light which hovered a bit and then
disappeared,” said Mr Haynes. As it was in the
Stonea region they thought at first it might
have been a ‘plane coming down on its way to
Mildenhall. But this suggestion was soon
discounted after watching its erratic
movements and the intense glow of the
spherical object. Pc Sid Ayres and Pc Alan
Jarman were on duty when they received news of
the possible UFO sighting and went to the
depot to investigate. But by the time they had
arrived there was nothing to be seen and no
evidence to collect. “I know the area is a
very busy corridor as far as aircraft are
concerned but I believe whatever the men saw
it was indeed something,” said Pc Ayres. “I
keep an open mind about what the men saw,” he
continued. (Source: From the TIMES,
Cambridgeshire, England – 22 February 1980)

3:35 a.m. Mr. and Mrs. E. I. Larsen saw a
series of balls, arranged like an "x" with one
diagonal line. Note: Little data on the case
in the files. (Berliner)

April 12 [18?], 1960; La Camp (Lacamp), LA
(BBU 6711)

9 p.m. Physical scientist Monroe Arnold saw
a fiery-red disc from the S touch the ground
about 1,000 ft away with a loud explosion
heard by many people, and a flame. It bounced
in an E direction for about 1,000 ft then rose
again, turned W and disappeared. The ground
was scarred in 9 places, and a substance
resembling metallic paint was found, analysis
inconclusive. (Berliner; cf. Vallée Magonia
503)

May 7, 1960; Regina,
Saskatchewan, Canada (BBU)
At 1:10 a.m. CST, a visual observation was
made of two white points of light
that traveled north, stopped, then
proceeded east and stopped. The sighting
started at Regina Airport, Saskatchewan,
Canada. The objects were observed on FPS-20
and FPS-6A radars and an F-101B was
scrambled after the objects but no
observation was made. Jamming was
experienced. The length of the observation
was approximately 1 hour. (Dan Wilson,
McDonald list)

May 24, 1960; Ocumare del Tuy, Venezuela
Several doctors, a topographer and policemen
saw three UFOs, in-line formation, which
landed in a heavily wooded area on a
hilltop; diamond-shaped scorched marking
found at landing site. [NICAP UFOE, VIII]

About 9.35 pm local time (0635Z on 5 Jun
1960). A member of the crew of a
707-aircraft flying from the West coast of the
USA to Honolulu, at 31,000 feet, observed two
large unidentified radar returns. The targets
were 2-3 miles apart. They were not round, but
about two ship widths wide. One target was five
miles long, the other two miles long, on the
radar scope. The observer stated they were not
clouds. The targets held from 90 miles ahead on
starboard bow at first contact, to 130 degrees
relative starboard side radar limit. The targets
were stationary. Duration was not reported.
Subsequent reports from other flights through
the area, indicated no unusual radar
returns.(Basterfield, Fold3; McDonald list;
Sparks.)

Sept. 17, 1960; Kirksville,
Missouri (BBU)
10:13 p.m. CST. Radar returns were detected by
the 790th Radar Squadron (SAGE) of what was
thought to be 8 to 12 aircraft at 95,000 feet.
At 10:17 p.m., they descended to 23,000 feet. At
10:19 p.m., 6 to 8 objects were picked up at
100,000 feet and then were lost in the weather.
At 10:23 p.m., the first formation started to
climb and was tracked until they disappeared off
the top of the scope at 100,000 feet. Another
formation appeared at 10:40 p.m., at 85,000
feet. The manner of observation was the ground
radar AN/FPS-6A height finder. (McDonald list)

Sept. 19, 1960; Susanville, CA (BBU)

(McDonald list)

Sept. 20, 1960; Kirksville AFS, MO (BBU)

(McDonald list)

Sept. 20, 1960; SE of Farmington, NM (BBU)

(McDonald list)

Sept.
25, 1960; Midway Isles (BBU)
At 8:11 p.m. local time (26/0711Z), the crew
of a military aircraft reported seeing a
bright, round/oval object, , estimated as size
of a dime at arm's length, continuously
changing color from red to green to white,
then repeating the cycle. Each color would
present for 3-4 seconds before changing. First
sighted when the aircraft was in a left turn
from course 030 to 210 degrees. The object
appeared to climb from water level at the
position, sped past the tail of the aircraft
to their 5 o’clock position, and was lost to
view. Next seen when aircraft was at 15,000
feet and level, course 210 degrees. Object at
60 degrees relative and 40 degrees above. It
moved across the nose of the aircraft to a
relative bearing of 330 degrees, low. Object
disappeared behind a cloud bank, with tops at
10,000 feet. Duration of 4
minutes.(Basterfield, Fol3; McDonald list:
Sparks.)

About October 3, 1960; Tasmania
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation newscast
(October 10): "The sighting of six flying
saucers and a 'mother ship' has been
reported from the Australian island state of
Tasmania. A Church of England minister says
he saw the mysterious craft nearly one week
ago, but was reluctant to report them. The
clergyman finally did report the matter when
other people in the area said today, they
too had seen strange objects in the sky."
[NICAP UFOE]

At
1040 hrs local time, a USAF JB-57 aircraft
crew, operating out of the RAAF base at East
Sale, under Operation Crow Flight, reported
seeing an unusual object in the sky,
approaching to their left and slightly low.
The aircraft was at 40,000 feet, travelling
at 350 knots, flying a heading of 340
degrees. The object was estimated to be at
35,000 feet, heading 140 degrees, at high
speed. It disappeared under the aircraft's
left wing. The pilot banked the plane, but
they did not re-establish visual contact. In
color, the object was said to be 'rather
translucent.' The object had no sharp edges,
and seemed rather fuzzy. The size was
estimated at 70 feet in diameter, and it did
not appear to have any depth to it. Total
duration of the sighting was 5-7 seconds.
(Source: Keith Basterfield, Written
statement by crew members Captain Douglas G.
Ludlam, USAF; and Captain Joseph W. Ivins,
USAF to the RAAF. A copy is to be found on
RAAF file series A703; control symbol
580-1-1, part 2, pp44-45, Project 1947; BB
files??)

Nov. 17, 1960; Lexington, KY
Three UFOs were seen to follow two jet
aircraft. One object closed in on the jets,
then stopped, repeating this several times.
Witnesses described it as round, rotating,
color changing from gray to silver as it
turned. (Investigated by the Bluegrass NICAP
Affiliate, headed by former AF Major William
D. Lest sic [Leet?] ) (UFO
Investigator / Dec.- Jan., 1960 - 1961, page
6)

7:30 p.m. Mr. and Mrs. L. M. Hart and 5
others saw an orange-red point of light, with
white sparkler-like light moving in and out of
it, make huge circles, seen to the S and to N,
overhead, then stopped. 3 witnesses had
separate binoculars. (Hynek UFO Rpt pp. 78-80)

Nov. 29, 1960; Vincennes, IN
Observed for 25 minutes, an object with a
bright, pulsating light was seen by Francis
Ridge, a NICAP subcommittee chairman, and many
other witnesses. After it was joined by
smaller UFO, a jet was sighted in apparent
pursuit of the UFOs. (UFO Investigator / Jan -
Dec, 1960 - 1961, page 6)

The Brookings Research Institute in Washington
releases a report prepared during 1960 for NASA
entitled "Proposed Studies on the Implications
of Peaceful Space Activities for Human Affairs",
including a section entitled "Implications of a
Discovery of Extraterrestrial Life". (Commonly
referred to as "the Brookings Institute
report".) The report discusses effects of
meeting extraterrestrial life: "It is possible
that if the intelligence of these creatures were
sufficiently superior to ours, they would choose
to have little if any contact with us. . . "
(New York Times, Dec. 15, 1960)

Dec.
29, 1960, Miho, Japan (BB)9:37 p.m. local.
Capt. Leon C. Seale Jr., and Col. Royal
Francisr flying in a T-33 jet aircraft
at 26,000 feet on a heading of 62
degrees observed a bright light at 10
degrees elevation bearing 330 degrees
from Miho and disappeared at 10 degrees
elevation on a bearing of 270 degrees
from Miho. The bright light changing
from intense white to cherry red to
green to blue to white approximate was
the apparent size of basketball held at
arm's length.The length of observation
was 3 minutes beginning at 9:37 p.m.
local time. (Dan
wilson)